All My Sons – Practice

1. The poplars and the apple tree stump – comparing and

contrasting.
Similarities – In the play, both trees serve as symbols of delusion:
On one hand, the apple tree, planted in Larry's memory, stands
for Larry's undeniable death. Therefore, when it topples down, it
sparks the flames of Kate's delusion that Larry's alive. On the
other hand, the poplars symbol how the Keller family traps itself
within their own delusions – while nothing changes under the
shade of the trees, everything is okay. However, when Ann comes
to visit, and possibly George, too, things start to get out of control:
Chris wants to marry Ann, Steve's case might be reopened, and
Kate's belief that Larry's alive stands in question.

Differences – The poplars and the apple tree differ in the scale
which they represent: The apple tree is in the middle, and it bears
fruit. As a result, it resides in the conscious mind of everyone, and
it is referred to specifically. However, it is fragile. Thus, when the
tree comes down, the conversation about Larry comes down with
it. It quickly makes place for current, pressing, matters. On the
contrary, the poplars are seemingly out of sight, absent in the
story. Yet their effect seems to be ever present, if subtle – they
are the thoughts of Chris about marrying Ann, the wish of Kate
that no one will mention Larry's death, and the determination of
Joe to please everyone. Unlike the apple tree, they don't leave the
play, and aren't referred to out loud. Similarly, the cage that the
Kellers created for themselves can't be broken out of.

2. The characters in the play are in conflict with each other over
moral issues: Keller and Chris; Mother and Chris; and Ann and
Mother.
Keller and Chris have several conflicts in the play: First of all, they
are conflicted about their behavior towards Mother. On one hand,
Chris believes it is irrational to allow Mother to keep thinking that
Larry's coming back. He supports his argument saying that playing
along with her delusions prevents all of them from getting on with
their lives. On the other hand, Keller says that confronting Mother
 directly would only harm her – he says that Mother can't handle
the fact that Larry is dead. In this regard, Keller and Chris are
conflicted about Chris marrying Ann. While Chris wants to realize
his love to Ann, Keller says that Mom wouldn't be able to take it.
Keller notes that Mother still thinks of Ann as Larry's girl.
Therefore, Chris marrying Ann will be like announcing in public
that Larry is dead.
Finally, Chris and Keller argue over Chris' future participation in
the family business. Keller doesn't want Chris to leave, whereas he
found his business so Chris can have a safe income in the future –
a stable line of work, which he can take over when Keller retires.
However, Chris wants to live his own, happy life, and not the life
someone railroaded him into. In fact, Chris doesn't want to make
peace with the wishes of his parents: He wants to marry the girl
he loves; and wants to build a family and a life he can dedicate
himself to. Thus, he doesn't want to spend his life in a line of work
which he was forced into.

Mother and Chris have one main argument in the first act of the
play: Whether Chris will or will not marry Ann. Much like Keller
said, Kate won't allow Chris to marry Ann – she still thinks of her
as Larry's fiancé. Therefore, it is inappropriate for Chris to marry
her. However, Chris desperately tries to convince his mother that
Larry is long dead – he wants to get on with his life, and a part of
that is marrying Ann.

Ann and Mother's conflict in the first act of the play is about Ann
being Larry's betrothed, and whether she still waits for him: On
Kate's part, Ann is still Larry's girl; she still believes that Larry's
alive somewhere. As a result, she expects Ann to be waiting for
Larry. Most importantly, Kate is greatly dependent on it being so,
since it reinforces her own belief. On the contrary, Ann lost all
contact with Larry three years ago, when he was announced MIA.
Thus, Ann now feels no commitment towards Larry, and finds it
preposterous to be waiting for him all this time.

3. I think the scene between B